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"The Paisley Underground"
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,759
in Other Music
Feeling as though I've gone off-topic perhaps more than I ought to on the "Happiness Bastards- The Black Crowes" thread (sorry guys!) I figured it's time to have a "Paisley Underground" thread. I put that title in quotes because many of the musicians who are or were a part of that music scene actually hate that title the way some member of the "Grunge" scene hate that name (including myself). But as a general reference I've used it here because it's the name that stuck (I happen to like it).
I could write a book about The Paisley Underground music movement but I'll try to be somewhat brief and assume/ hope some of you are familiar with this anyway, and very much hope others are open to checking it out.
I could write a book about The Paisley Underground music movement but I'll try to be somewhat brief and assume/ hope some of you are familiar with this anyway, and very much hope others are open to checking it out.
The Paisley Underground refers to a musical genre that came out of California- especially the Los Angeles area- in the mid 80's. Like many others, I was drawn to this group of musicians and bands because so much music at that time was just not very satisfying. Many of the 60's to early 70's bands and musicians had grown stale or broken up or simply died (Hendrix, Joplin, Brian Jones, Keith Moon, etc). Disco was big but no attractive for a lot of us rock fans. Punk and hardcore was cool except, for some of us, the endless pummeling of hardcore just did not provide diverse enough musics for our aural diet of sound.
So what Paisley Underground offered was an excellent blend of diverse rock influences including psychedelia, garage rock, jangley Byrdsian pop, country rock, replete with engaging harmonies, excellent guitar jam interplay, and spiced with some new wave and punk influences.
So what Paisley Underground offered was an excellent blend of diverse rock influences including psychedelia, garage rock, jangley Byrdsian pop, country rock, replete with engaging harmonies, excellent guitar jam interplay, and spiced with some new wave and punk influences.
The major bands that populated this genre included:
The Bangles
The Dream Syndicate
Game Theory
Green on Red
Long Ryders
Rain Parade
The Three O'clock
True West
The Dream Syndicate
Game Theory
Green on Red
Long Ryders
Rain Parade
The Three O'clock
True West
Some of these band morphed into others including Opal, Mazzy Star, Danny and Dusty, the Baseball Project, and others.
So that's the basic rundown. Feel free to fill in missing gaps, talk about some of your favorite bands, groups in this genre you've seen, etc.
And if you're not familiar with any of this, there's a ton a rich music to mine here, and I can almost guarantee there is something (or a lot of somethings!) that just might thrill your soul!
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.
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The Bangles* • The Three O'Clock • The Dream Syndicate • Rain Parade – 3×4
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Yeah, great stuff!
And I really admire Stephen McCarthy as a multi-instrumentalist. He added some nice touches to the last Dream Syndicate albums, especially The Universe Inside- everything from guitars to electric sitar to backing vocals. And some fine work with Gutterball as well.
True West – True West
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Wall of Voodoo and Concrete Blonde?
A first! Now I can say I know someone who is familiar with True West. Very cool, Joe!
You're probably right. To be honest, I never listened to them much past "Mexican Radio" which somehow I recall as being sort of country punk influenced. Beyond that, it sounds like you are better versed in their approach.
Kendra Smith, David Roback, Keith Mitchell (3) – Fell From The Sun
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It's a keeper, for sure!